Keeping track of Chicago area fire departments

Posts Tagged CFD

Steve Redick happened upon the new Spartan Gladiator/Crimson aerial lettered for Truck 31 today at the Quinn Fire Academy and sent this image. Truck 31 is quartered with Engine 64, an ALS engine company. In a previous post HERE, this unit was shown without a company number, but it was labeled as a paramedic equipped truck, and now that designation has been removed.

Steve Redick submitted several images from the 3-11 yesterday on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago which was mentioned HERE. The fire included a response 6-3-1, one of Chicago’s foam units which deployed high-expansion foam into the building in an effort to extinguish the fire. Steve arrived on-scene later than he would have liked, but still captured many images while the suppression effort was active.

The deck gun from Engine 35 went to work in the rear of the building as fire vented through the roof. Steve Redick photo

Tower 10 was in the alley with Engine 35 and was able to safely deploy the tower among the utility wires to provide an elevated master stream. Steve Redick photo

Engine 56 was on a hydrant at Lincoln and Southport. Steve Redick photo

Engine 112 was supplying several hand lines and with the help of the water department made an effort to keep the water in the street flowing to the sewers. Steve Redick photo

Firefighters use a hand line from the roof of an exposure building to fight the fire. Steve Redick photo

Trucks 28 and 44 are located on Lincoln Avenue near the fire building with Foam unit 6-3-1. Steve Redick photo

Firefighters from Squad 1 use their 55-Snorkel, 1A, in sector 1 with an elevated master stream. The curb lane and sidewalk as well as most of everything else, is covered with foam. In the background, the chute used to send the foam into the building is visible. Steve Redick photo

Engine 55 is located in sector 1 on a hydrant and is supplying water to Tower 21. Steve Redick photo

An overview shot looking down Lincoln Avenue shows a huge column of smoke coming from the carpet store down the block. In the foreground, Engine 106 is pumping to companies further down the street. On the left side of the photo beyond the two buggies is the spare command van. Steve Redick photo

A complete gallery of Steve’s images and a video from this fire can be seen HERE.

Fire broke out in a three-story apartment building this afternoon around 1PM in Rogers Park. First arriving units reported flames through the roof. Shortly thereafter the 9th Battalion requested a Box Alarm and then a 2-11 as fire involved units on the second and third floors of the building at the corner of Newgard Avenue and Northshore Avenue. Tower 21, Truck 47, and Truck 25 had their aerials deployed in addition to multiple ground ladders. Engines 59, 70, 71, and 102 (running with a spare #D546) were all pumping.

Tower 21 in sector 1 had to fight with some trees to reach the building. Larry Shapiro photo

Truck 47 was setup on the corner of sectors 1 and 2. This is one of the oldest Pierce ladder trucks in the city. It was purchased along with Truck 52, and both were delivered in 2000. There were no orders for additional Pierce units at the time. Chicago also received nine E-ONE ladders and an American LaFrance/LTI tower ladder that year. Trucks 47 and 52 have the only Pierce ladders that were painted white. All of the subsequent purchases including the tower ladders were painted gray. Larry Shapiro photo

Engine 59 was also in sector 1. They run with a 1998 HME SFO/Luverne engine. This series of engines are unique to Chicago in that their water tanks actually hold 535 gallons instead of the customary 500 gallons. Larry Shapiro photo

The north side of the fire building (sector 2) runs along Northshore Avenue. This access made it easier for companies to through multiple ground ladders without having to navigate a courtyard or gangway between two buildings. Larry Shapiro photo

One of the CFD chaplains is Rabbi Moshe Wolf. Rabbi Wolf is known throughout the CFD for having pockets full of candy which he hands out at fire scenes. Here he is performing his signature service. Larry Shapiro photo

A small gallery of images that were taken after the 2-11 was struck out can be seen HERE.

Steve Redick submitted several images from a 2-11 alarm fire on the 13th of October. His summary is:

1340 E 72nd St last night…traffic was horrendous so there was nothing for me by the time I arrived. The fire involved a large ornate vacant rectory, with what I think was a gable roof. The fire bldg was attached by a walkway on the first floor to the body of a very large traditional style church. It appeared to me that the fire was all top floor and attic so exposure risk was pretty minimal. In my shots of the rear you can see the debris pile from what I assume was the collapsed gable roof. Lots of spares at this job….

This 2002 Spartan/Luverne engine is currently part of the spare apparatus. It is shop #D598 and was previously assigned to Engine 82 at 817 E. 91st Street. Steve Redick photo

Engine 126 from 7913 S. Kingston is running with a 2001 Spartan/Luverne, shop #D583. This 2001 model is almost indistinguishable from the engines delivered in 2002. Steve Redick photo

Many in the Chicago area know or know of Steve Redick, a Senior Fire Alarm Operator with the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) and a contributor to this website. Steve’s father Warren Redick, retired some years ago after a distinguished career with the CFD. Warren was an avid photographer who loved the fire service. Beginning in the 1950’s, he was way ahead of his time when he began shooting Kodachrome slides at a time when most other photographers were shooting in black and white. He had a keen eye for composition and his exposures were always spot on, which resulted in a collection of dramatic and beautiful images of the CFD apparatus both posed and in action.

Steve describes the book as:

An historical photo retrospective of the Chicago Fire Department. The book features several hundred brilliantly restored Kodachrome images of the men, apparatus and fires from the 1950s and 1960s. Also included is historical data, including dates, locations, equipment information, as well as a wealth of interesting facts and anecdotes. This is a must see book of seldom seen photos of a bygone era in Chicago firefighting.

This Freightliner/Medtec Type I ambulance for the Algonquin lake-in-the-Hills Fire Department was on display in the Pierce booth. There were a total of three units on the trade show floor for this department. Larry Shapiro photo

The smaller than normal pump enclosure and built-in cross lays on the new Ferrara engine for the Algonquin Lake-in-the-Hills Fire Department resembles a trend in apparatus design which was first introduced several years ago by Pierce. Larry Shapiro photo

Last Monday, the 9th of August, CFD FF/PM Chris Wheatley of Truck Co 2 succumbed to injuries incurred after he fell from a ladder near the roof line while working at a fire at 615 W. Randolph. Chris was laid to rest yesterday, August 13, 2010 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip following a mass at St. John Fisher Church on South Washtenaw.

The casket is loaded onto Engine 5 for the journey to the church.

Chicago Fire Department commissioners and chiefs salute as the casket is brought out of the funeral home.

Chicago Fire Department personnel line the street in front of St John Fisher Church. Beyond the city firefighters and officers are members of the AFFI Honor Guard representing many suburban Chicago fire departments.

Members carry the casket from the church.

Images documenting the ceremonies and service can be viewed at Tim Olk’s website HERE and Larry Shapiro’s website HERE.

Dan McInerney of the Oak Park and Countryside Fire Departments passed along a link to the CFD website featuring updates on the new CFD fireboat.

The following information is from the link:

The Chicago Fire Department is acquiring a new NFPA Type III Fireboat to replace their 60 year old Fireboat, the Victor L. Schlaeger. The boat will be designed and built to operate year-round in Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and surrounding harbors. It will be used to respond to the firefighting, rescue, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive incidents (CBRNE), Hazmat decontamination, dive operations, and other waterway related responses.

Construction Progress (6/11/2010)

Construction on the Chicago Fireboat is progressing on schedule. The majority of the hull structure has been assembled and the hull plating fitted. The aluminum deckhouse is being assembled simultaneously to the hull.

Construction Progress (3/1/2010)

Construction on the Chicago Fireboat began in February 2010. The cut steel sections for the hull have been delivered to the boat yard and the boat’s hull structure is currently being assembled.

Contract Award (8/3/2009)

A contract to build an NFPA Type III Fireboat for the City of Chicago was awarded to Hike Metal Products on June 20, 2009. Construction will begin in 2010 and the boat will be delivered in 2011.